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Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Lessons for a Lifetime !

Every year, around Mother's day, people suddenly start getting nostalgic about their mothers and the special moments spent with them. Some talk about the emotional support and encouragement received while for others it might be a lesson that has held them in good stead. And then there are a few for whom it is all about the maternal pampering and love . But that is just the explicit part of it.

In truth, those indispensable lessons that a mother taught us are something that define what we are and how we conduct ourselves in our everyday life. It is the implicit teachings, the judgement of what is right or wrong, what needs to be done or what must be done and other such sublime stuff that gets ingrained into our psyche during the formative years. Her first slap may seem like a punishment and its echo might still resound in our ears, but actually is the first lesson that teaches us to refrain from doing wrong.

Some of life's most important lessons are learnt by her side as she is the first mentor for every kid. She teaches by setting a example as her interactions with others set the tone for our future relationships. It is her relationship management skills that sows the elements of trust, respect and sharing in those young minds.

But unfortunately, a majority of these women happen to be homemakers who have been denied their due. While their contribution to society is immense, they are still judged by their inability to contribute to the household income. As everyone focuses on gender equality and we seek greater participation from women in the workplace, the role of the stay-at-home mothers is largely ignored. While we may not choose to follow their footsteps, we need to respect and applaud these women. And my mother taught me to do so.

My mother, while she taught me and my brother to uphold tradition, also instilled the importance of being flexible and the need to adapt/change with time. These are same values that has helped Godrej stay as the hair color of choice among a majority of Indians. I remember my mother using the old Godrej hair color of the 90's ( and maybe that is why it is the first thing that came into my mind when I wanted to try a hair color for myself ). While the dye itself was a pioneer in the Indian markets, it came in just one shade, a jet black one that looked quite stark on senior folks and smelled quite strong. They did launch a brown version after sometime but the shade repertoire remained quite limited for a long time. However they have evolved over time and are now available in seven shades. That too in an ammonia free formulation. A great thing as they have the best understanding about Indian hair which is thicker and darker when compared to the Europeans. A quality that at times necessitates the use of a bleach when dyeing one's hair a few shades lighter than the original. But say bye-bye to such hassles with the new range of Creme hair colors from Godrej which make dyeing your hair seem as easy as a breeze while also being light on the pockets.

I have already brought a sachet of this new-age hair color for my Mom. Have you ?